1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is devices to secure a camera with its accessories including telescopic lens to a photographer's shoulder for purposes of stabilizing the camera while taking pictures.
2. Description of the Related Art
Apparatus which secures a camera and camera with telescopic lens and other accessories, to the photographer's body for purposes of stabilizing the camera at the time that pictures are snapped have been known for some considerable time. For example, Howe in U.S. Pat. No. 730,458 secured a box camera below the barrel portion of a gun-shaped stock. The inventor states that with sights along the barrel portion of the gun-shaped support, the camera may be properly aimed so that images of the objects of the picture will be properly centered. In that invention, the trigger assembly of the gun-shaped support was rigged to operate the shutter release of the camera. Landis in U.S. Pat. No. 1,236,947 devised a similar invention with slightly different mechanism connecting the trigger of the gun-shaped support to the shutter actuator of the camera.
Huffman (U.S. Pat. No. 2,926,591) provides a camera support comprising a thin, rod-like, elongated structural member, with a camera mounted somewhat centrally thereto and at opposite ends, rotatable elements, one of which is pressed against the shoulder and the other provides a hand grip. The user photographer brings the rotatable element against the shoulder and holds it there with pressure by holding onto the other rotatable elements while looking through the camera range finder to take a picture.
Apparatus for guidance of the direction a camera is pointed utilizing a tripod with a universal movement head is shown in the United States Patent to Marchus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,967. The guidance mechanism includes a portion contacting the photographer's shoulder with a second part at right angles, the second part attaching to the camera and the tripod head.
Dunn, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,753 details apparatus for camera stabilization wherein two attached support arms emerge from a base to which the camera is attached, one of the support arms directed to the shoulder of the photographer and the other to the photographer's sternum. The photographer, in grasping the camera and the body of the apparatus presses the support arms against the contacted portions of the body. With some similarities to the early patents of Howe and Landis, Rossmann in U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,250, utilizes the cheek piece and grip of a simulated rifle stock for securing a telescopic lens to which a camera is attached. Rossmann further utilizes a trigger-like member to quickly focus the lens.
Lastly, a camera mounting and steadying device is shown in the United States Patent to Brown, U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,390, wherein with a number of differently angled elements interconnecting to form the device, a vertical handle assembly provides the means to which is secured a camera mounting base at its top end and a shoulder brace operably attached approximately at the center. The camera is utilized with the operator holding both hands on the handle assembly.
The above devices seemingly provide means to secure and stabilize a camera by pressing a support element against the user's body. However, it has been the inventor's discovery that with the heavy camera equipment needed for very long-distance telescopic lens, the weight of which is held some distance from the photographer, more than what was described above and known to the inventor, is needed to support and stabilize the camera and accessories for picture taking. This is especially so when moving the camera to follow, say, a bird in flight, when the only motion wanted is the linear (instantaneous) motion of the bird's travel. A stabilized camera need not be still, but if in motion, it needs be constant, i.e., not changing.
Accordingly, it would be useful to provide a camera stabilization device adapted to secure a camera along with its accessories at a distance from the photographer for picture taking. In addition, it is useful to provide a camera stabilizing support which allows the user to wheel around swiftly and not lose contact between the camera stabilizing support and the photographer's body.